Highlights from this week:
1. My Crazy Day boys.
2. Who also have a sweet cuddly side.
3. Enjoying some yummy Spanish food from the restaurant downstairs.
4. Watching J's love for creating things in action.
5. Hearing about j's first overnight school camp.
Wishing you all a wonderful and restful weekend!
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When I was in Seoul last weekend my friend and I visited five different bakeries. We actually had more bakeries on the list but we couldn't go to them all due to time. We have quite a few bakeries here in Busan, but I have to say Seoul has better bakeries. We visited some authentic European bakeries in Seoul, which carried a lovely assortment of freshly baked breads and pastries. I liked all the bakeries for different reasons, but I have to say that Rose Bakery was one of my favorite spots. We were just coming from another bakery down the road and on our way to lunch when my friend pointed out Rose Bakery. She had been there before and thought I would like it. We were planning to just window shop since we had 1/2 hour before our lunch reservation, but as soon as I saw the baked goods at Rose Bakery, I knew I needed to have a bite of their carrot cake. One thing I really miss from the States are loaf cakes and Rose Bakery has so many varieties. If we were not going to be walking around all day in the heat I would have bought a slice of each loaf cake to take home. Rose Bakery is located on the first level of the Comme des Garçons flagship store and has floor to ceiling windows on one side so there is beautiful light flooding into the bakery. My friend and I shared a mini carrot cake (it was SO good) and a carrot/apple/ginger juice. You can find the story behind Rose Bakery and the recipe for the carrot cake here. And looks like the founder of Rose Bakery has a few cookbooks. Next time I want to go for brunch or lunch and try their other food (and eat more carrot cake). If you are ever in Seoul, check it out! You might also like the Samsung Leeum Museum that is right behind the bakery.
739-1, Hannam-dong Yongsangu Seoul 02-790-7225
Directions: Subway Line 6, Hangangjin Station, Exit 1. Walk 3-5 minutes on your right, across from the Volkswagon dealership.
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My friend and I took the train up to Seoul for a whirlwind 30-hour adventure. Although Seoul is less than one hour by airplane and 2.5 hours by train, I have only been there a handful of times since we moved back to Busan. And since embassy-related visits are not my idea of a good time, I decided to make it a goal this year to explore all the fun neighborhoods in Seoul. If you follow me on Instagram, then you saw my eating and shopping adventure, but I thought I would share a few Instagram shots of Garosugil, a beautiful area of Seoul. I actually brought along my DSLR (and used it) on this trip, so I will be sharing more photographs soon.
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Last week I shared my favorite paper cutter and today I am sharing my favorite adhesive. There are so many adhesives out there and they each have their own purpose, but the one I use the most is the 3M Scotch ATG 714 Adhesive Applicator. I've had my 3M Scotch ATG 714 Adhesive Applicator for at least 5+ years and I love it. Since I work on a lot of packaging projects and paper crafts, using double-sided tape is quite handy. When I taught Packaging 101 workshops back in Portland (with my good friend Joke of Tokketok), this was one of the tools students fell in love with. It is easy to use and although the tape dispenser is an investment, the transfer tape rolls are affordable and go a long way. All you need to do is press the trigger and glide the tape adhesive over the paper. The adhesive comes out in a smooth strip and you release the trigger once you have the desired length of adhesive. The great thing about this adhesive is that the hold is very strong. This particular model only holds the 1/4" tape, which I love using, but if you are looking for a wider tape you can purchase the 3M Scotch ATG 700 Adhesive Applicator which will hold both the 1/2" and 3/4" wide tape. If you love wrapping presents or crafting with paper, this is a must-have for your toolbox.
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Today was a super rainy day (I got soaked during my morning run), but otherwise the weather has been beautiful as of late. When the weather warms up I love wearing clothes made of cool fabrics like linen or linen chambray. As you can see I have several linen chambray dresses and shirts in my wardrobe. Last month I was on the hunt for a spring jacket (I never found one), but this month I am looking for a new pair of wedge sandals in a neutral color. If you have any recommendations, please let me know!
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Highlights from this week:
1. Finally resuming my morning runs after being side-lined by a knee injury for several months. Love the fresh morning air.
2. Meeting another work deadline.
3. Enjoying handmade rice cakes from the outdoor market.
4. Visiting an amazing baking shop with my friend. Found so many packaging goodies!
5. Having some inspiring conversations about education with people who want to make a difference.
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!
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I receive a lot of emails asking for recommendations for various supplies, tools, and resources. And many people requested through my first reader survey that I list my favorite supplies on my blog. So I decided that every week I will share one of my favorite things in my toolbox. For the first "In My Toolbox" post, I wanted to write about my favorite paper cutter. If you are new to paper crafting or a seasoned pro, having a nice quality paper cutter will save you time and make life easier. I've had my Dahle 552 paper cutter for over ten years and it still works as well as it did when I first bought it. My first paper cutter was an inexpensive one (the kind you can buy at your local craft store) and I disliked it because it didn't make perfectly straight cuts. This Dahle 552 paper cutter makes perfectly straight cuts and the self-sharpening blade is enclosed in a protective house so even my boys can use it (I always supervise them though). I love the fact that I have never had to replace the blade and it still is super sharp and I also love that you can make cuts in either direction. This model can cut paper up to 20 1/8" long which I find handy since I often use large sheets of paper for projects. The paper cutter is made of metal so it is quite sturdy. I definitely recommend Dahle paper cutters!
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I am normally a big purse/tote bag type of person, but I recently discovered the convenience of a small purse. Ideal for running errands or accompanying one of sons on their school field trips, a small purse can hold all my essentials.
A PEEK INSIDE MY BAG
1. Céline Trio Bag / I love how this bag is basically three pouches snapped together. I can find things so quickly because of the separate compartments.
2. Gucci Wallet / I think this might be considered vintage. I've had this long wallet since 1998.
3. Take Out Note by JStory / Love this small notebook with the wrap around band that keeps it shut.
4. Uniball Signo DX 0.28 / My all-time favorite pen!
5. Boons Refresh Blackberry Hand Creme / I have dry hands so I always try to keep hand creme in my bag.
6. Dior Jelly Lip Pen / This was a gift from a friend and I love it! It goes on really smooth and does not dry out my lips.
7. iPhone 4s / Sadly I cannot leave home without it.
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The weather has been warming up here in Busan and it feels like summer is right around the corner. Since the boys play sports during recess they want to wear more sporty clothes to school. I have to admit, I'm not a fan of athletic wear. So when the kind folks at Winter Water Factory* sent over a pair of Luca pants, I was excited. I like how they are a cuter alternative to regular athletic bottoms and j likes the bright colors (makes it easy to spot him in a crowd). The Luca pants are made of 100% organic cotton and are comfy and easy to pull on. These pants are becoming a favorite here at Casa Shim.
* Pants c/o Winter Wear Factory.
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One of the things I appreciate the most about my mother is how she exposed my siblings and me to so many things when we were younger. Although I grew up in a small college town I probably took every kind of lesson out there, some of which I kept up with for years (dance, piano, swimming, tennis, violin) and others for a shorter period of time (guitar, gymnastics, theater). I honestly don't know how she kept up with all our activities, lessons, and competitions, but she did it because she wanted to help us become well-rounded individuals.
And although she was raising three children, she continued to challenge herself as well. When I was three years old my mother decided that we would all learn violin. I remember how me, my sister, my brother, and my mother would shuffle to violin lessons on Saturdays. Now that I am a mother of two boys, I've been thinking about what I want to expose my children to and what we could learn together. This summer I am planning to set aside art time for me and the boys. Although the boys spend a lot of time drawing, making origami, and random crafts throughout the year, I feel like I haven't exposed them to different art mediums. So this summer we will be having a mini art camp at Casa Shim. First on the list: Watercolors! I purchased watercolor paints, watercolor pencils, brushes, paper, and a paint palette. After school gets out late June I plan to surprise the boys with their watercolor kits.
I tinkered a bit with watercolors for a project and was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. There is something soothing about watching the watery colors come together. I designed some gift tags for the watercolor kits by scanning in a print I was working on.
I wrapped them up in good ol' kraft paper and twine. Although I think putting them into a plastic kit, like the art kits I made, would be a good idea. You can print the watercolor kit tags on cardstock or white sticker paper to make them in to labels.
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